Peugeot Exalt Concept Design

April 10, 2014; Imposing Concept car moves to heighten sensations Radical styling and
choice of materials make an impact at first acquaintance Initiated with the
Onyx Concept, EXALT places on show an array of potential materials and
textures

With EXALT, PEUGEOT unveils its imposing vision of the saloon car by
following the approach initiated in 2012 with the Onyx Concept. EXALT aims
to please the senses. It stands out at first contact by its radical styling
choices and the materials selected.

First seen on Onyx, the distinct line in the bodywork is reinterpreted
by the association of bare metal and an efficient textile, Shark Skin,
inspired by the unique texture of a shark’s skin.

The remarkable acoustic comfort achieved inside permits the discovery of
an array of materials – natural wool-based ‘chiné’ mixed
fabric, aged leather, bare steel and ebony – used to finish the
cabin. This high end variety of wood takes on its Chinese identity through
the design created by the trio PINWU Design agency.

The technology incorporated makes every journey an experience: PEUGEOT
i-Cockpit, black light, Pure Blue air purifier … this art of travel
is powered by a petrol HYbrid4 drive train with an output of 340bhp.

“PEUGEOT’s 125 year automobile history is punctuated by
models that made their mark on their era. With the EXALT Concept, the Brand
asserts its position and writes a new chapter. We are moving forward,
resolutely and with confidence.” Maxime Picat, PEUGEOT Brand CEO

The dynamic saloon

“With EXALT, PEUGEOT unveils its vision of the saloon, combining a
sleek design with versatility. This radical approach and original qualities
make EXALT instantly desirable.” Gilles Vidal, PEUGEOT Director of
Style

With its sleek and athletic lines, EXALT embodies the power of PEUGEOT
design. Sitting on wide tracks and powerfully rounded wheel arches, this
five-door saloon expresses its style over a length of 4.70m. The alliance
of flat surfaces and straight cut lines reconciles aggressiveness and
softness.

EXALT chooses to be radical by deleting all superfluous materials,
keeping only what is really useful. Its specification comprises materials
from the melding of cultures with French and Chinese expertise. Each one of
the materials used has been rigorously selected for their efficiency.

“PEUGEOT EXALT is athletic, powerful and sleek, incorporating
original materials. Its cabin, trimmed in natural materials, is dedicated
to comfort and instinctive driving. This innovative concept makes the
saloon even more attractive and more versatile, in particular the boot with
its unique opening mechanism exposing a large boot.” Pierre Paul
Mattei, PEUGEOT EXALT Styling Manager

In homage to the art of the French motor car from the twenties and
thirties, its bare steel bodywork is hand-formed by a master panel
beater.

One of a kind, it reinterprets the historical cues that make up
automobile passion: taut and dynamic lines, a high waist line, a raked
windscreen, a low roof (just 1.31m), a very slender profile that conceals a
cabin that is still spacious, tightly shaped side panels with basalt fibre
sills and 20-inch wheels.

The long bonnet grows out of the particularly expressive front end where
the twin headlamps, set in the bumper, integrate the Brand’s
recognizable signature lighting. In the middle, the powerful grille emerges
from the bodywork and provides the backdrop for the doubly symbolic lion.
This is because this animal is both the emblem of the Brand and in Chinese
culture, the expression of power and prestige. At the bottom, the flow of
air supplying the engine is divided by ‘fins’ carrying the LED
direction indicators.

To improve the drag coefficient, the rear of EXALT is trimmed in Shark
Skin, an efficient textile. Due to its technical grain structure, this
material resulting from bio-mimicry markedly improves the aerodynamic
performance of the vehicle, with the aim of reducing fuel consumption.

Its use is elevated by a straight line making the transition between the
rear door and the quarter light, the transition between the grey of the
steel and the red of the Shark Skin. This material contributes towards
EXALT’s aerodynamic performance – with an SCx of 0.6 – in
association with other elements: an air extractor in the rear bumper, the
curve of the roof and the profiled mirrors.

With such remarkable aerodynamics, the mark left by EXALT on its
surroundings is essentially visual. A horizontal band in the hollow of the
rear spoiler shows the width of the car and the sculpted facet of the
lighting signature.

PEUGEOT EXALT also provides exceptional versatility for a saloon. The
boot works with an innovative pantograph mechanism. This arrangement allows
maximum opening while needing less space externally. The boot with its
integral motorised aperture reveals a boot with a low load sill. Trimmed in
wood, it presents a delightful space and facilitates the handling of
luggage.

Instinctive driving

“I was inspired by the musical world for this project. Colour is a
fundamental notion in it. Notes combine together to create a score which is
profoundly moving. This is how technology and tradition merge together in
EXALT. In the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit, a digital instrument panel is side by side
with toggle switches. The result is pure and timeless.” Alessandro
Riga, PEUGEOT EXALT Interior Stylist

The PEUGEOT i-Cockpit delivers an intense driving experience dedicated
to enjoyment. The small wheel trimmed in leather and ‘chiné’, a
natural wool-based mixed fabric, and the digital instrument panel are
intuitively arranged in front of the driver for improved operation and
reading. On the extended centre console, two folding touch screens emerge
from the dashboard. The upper screen gives access to the on board computer
and the Hi-Fi and navigation systems. The second screen presents a
permanently visible control bar to provide access to the automatic air
conditioning and the Pure Blue system.

Nine Toggle Switches are located on the dashboard, evocative in their
design of the world of music. They are arranged in two groups, two to the
left of the small steering wheel, seven to the right. This distribution was
adopted because of the human brain’s ability to easily remember up to
seven elements, for their position and their function. Furthermore, the
driver is free to associate Toggle Switches with functions, as desired:
access to navigation with a particular switch, vehicle settings with
another, etc.

Activation of the black light system can also be assigned to one of the
Toggle Switches. Built into the headlamps, this system is particularly
useful during the transition between day and night. Visibility issues are
reduced and driving becomes more relaxed with black light, improving the
observation of road markings.

For the comfort of its occupants, PEUGEOT EXALT is fitted with an
innovative air treatment system called Pure Blue. When stationary, with the
vehicle empty, Pure Blue purifies the cabin surfaces by spreading
bactericides and fungicides. Once the vehicle is moving, an active filter
treats the air before it enters the cabin, eliminating VOCs (volatile
organic compounds) and fine particles. So in all circumstances the
occupants travel in a purified environment.

Visionary design

“Our approach is to have a responsible attitude. PEUGEOT EXALT is
made of raw and natural elements associated with innovative and efficient
materials. The idea was to finish the car with useful touches and to do it
intelligently with the constant objective of optimising processes to
economise on the use of materials and reduce waste.

“This responsible approach is also applied in the local sourcing
of materials, such as black ebony from the tropical forests of South East
Asia.” Sophie Gazeau, PEUGEOT EXALT Colours and Materials Stylist

PEUGEOT EXALT advances the approach initiated by the Onyx Concept in
2012.

Regarding the work carried out on the body of the vehicle, bare steel is
used to accentuate the expressive lines of the vehicle. Associated parts
such as the wheels are also in bare steel in order to highlight the
markings left by the milling machines.

Steel remains bare in all areas where it does not come into contact with
the bodies of the four occupants. At the elbows and arm contact points,
EXALT is trimmed in warm toned wood. From the bottom of the windows, it
gives way to a natural wool-based ‘chiné’ mixed fabric used to
trim the door panels, the dashboard and the interior roof. Between these
two materials, a strip made by 3D printing conceals the speakers of the
Hi-Fi system. Its structure draws inspiration from anechoic chambers where
the dihedral partitions reduce acoustic interference.

Each occupant has a special welcome on board the PEUGEOT EXALT, whether
the driver or a passenger. The bucket seats made of composite material
incorporate seat squabs and backrest in natural wool-based
‘chiné’ mixed fabric with the side areas in aged leather.

Fabric and leather are worked together in a process that optimises the
use of resources. So to avoid off-cuts and waste, the fabric is shaped
using clamps. This simple process is inspired by the tradition of fine
gentlemen’s bespoke tailoring. The fabric then presents surfaces with
crisp folds and no stitching. Leather for use in cars has always been
selected for the absence of markings then tanned to make it perfect.
Optimising the skins, EXALT makes use of imperfections in appearance to
make each one a unique signature. Then the leathers are aged naturally,
without the use of chemicals.

Black ebony wood has been selected for its rare qualities and its
indigenous roots to the Asian continent. It bears a motif designed by the
trio PINWU Design agency; combining a lion with bamboo stems and leaves,
its creation was entrusted to a Chinese master craftsman using traditional
techniques.

Finally, carbon fibre gives way to basalt fibre, a natural composite.
Produced by smelting the basalt stone, it reduces the use of petrochemical
resources.

High performance drive train

Weighing just 1,700kg, PEUGEOT EXALT is powered by a plug-in HYbrid4
drive train with a total maximum power of 340bhp shared between the four
wheels. The bonnet houses the 1.6-litre THP 270bhp developed by PEUGEOT
Sport. Coupled to a 6-speed automatic gearbox, this 4-cylinder petrol
engine develops a specific power output of nearly 170bhp per litre, making
it one of the best in the world.

At the rear, the multi-link rear axle contains a 50kW electric machine
for electric or hybrid phases of operation. This machine also intervenes to
recharge the battery through energy recovery braking. On deceleration,
braking is produced by the resistant torque of the electric machine. In
this way the HYbrid4 technology converts into electricity the kinetic
energy that would otherwise have been dissipated as heat through the brake
discs and pads.